Remove the wax paper from your empty cereal box and use it to wrap sandwiches in, or anything else you might use wax paper for. A total money saver.
Three Kitchen Money-Savers
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, which makes sense because for most of us food is a big part of our lives. So let's look at a couple ways we can make our experience in the kitchen a little easier and maybe save a little money too.
Recycled cereal box liners
The indispensable clothespin
If you don't keep clothespins in your kitchen you're missing out on a huge convenience. Clothespins (the spring-loaded wooden kind) are perfect for closing just about any kind of bag — chip bags, vegetable bags (especially if you buy big bags of spinach or mixed greens), bread bags and just about anything else.
Don't throw away hard brown sugar
We don't use brown sugar very often, so it tends to get hard after sitting in the cabinet for a few months. But don't throw it away. A slice of fresh bread placed with the hardened brown sugar in a plastic bag and sealed tightly will soften the sugar in 2 or 3 hours (a few slices of apple in the bag will work too). Or, put the hard brown sugar in an ovenproof bowl in the oven, alongside another bowl filled with water, and set the oven on low heat for about an hour.
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This edition is part of the Genius House Hacks archive — 20+ years of tips, rebuilt from the original Handy Hints newsletter. Browse more hacks →